Today's Climate: May 4, 2009

Australia Delays Carbon Trading Until 2011 (Reuters)

Australia's government announced a one-year delay to its carbon emissions trading plan today, promising more support to big industry but opening the door to a tougher 2020 target.

Study: Halving CO2 By 2050 Could Stabilize Warming Below 2C (Science Daily)

The model simulates thousands of combinations of scenarios and assumptions, taking into account all known uncertainties, such as feedback loops.

Industries Push for Free Credits; Taxpayer Would Lose (Wall Street Journal)

A growing number of industries are lobbying for free pollution permits under legislation capping greenhouse-gas emissions, in a potential threat to the funding for President Obama's proposed middle-class tax cut.

Waxman, Van Hollen Duel Over Climate Bill Timing (Politico)

Rep. Chris Van Hollen, worried about vulnerable Democrats being forced to take difficult votes, argues that the House should move cautiously on a cap-and-trade bill if it doesn’t look like the Senate will approve it.

Climate Change Threatens Ecosystems of World's Largest Lake (Science Daily)

Siberia's Lake Baikal faces the prospect of severe ecological disruption as a result of climate change, according to an analysis in the journal BioScience.

Gas Drillers Battle Residents Over Pa. Water (Reuters)

"I have never seen such a bunch of liars in my life," one resident shouted at a spokesman for Range Resources Corp who told a hearing there had been zero reports of contamination in groundwater. "You have put me through hell."

Minnesota Keeps Nuclear Power Moratorium (Minnesota Public Radio)

State lawmakers voted 70-62 to uphold a 1994 moratorium on the construction of nuclear facilities.

ADB Head: Asia Must Tackle Poverty, Climate Change (AP)

As Asia emerges from the economic crisis with more clout on the world stage, it must do more to take the lead in fighting global warming, the Asian Development Bank president said today.

Carbon Trust set to seal China Deal (Financial Times)

The Carbon Trust today expects to sign its strategically most important international partnership in an attempt to open China’s vast market to British low-carbon technology.

Moderates in Middle of a Green Tug-of-War (Rocky Mount Telegram)

An advocacy group with ties to the oil industry is targeting U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.) and nine other federal lawmakers who support implementing a cap-and-trade emissions program.

The PATH to Dirty Energy (Washington Post)

The planned Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline (PATH) transmission line has nothing to do with clean energy and everything to do with profit-seeking coal companies, writes Sierra Club’s Bruce Nilles.

Fox Lets Guest Host Use Doctored Video to Smear Gore (Media Matters)